Methods and machines for assembling washer members with rotary fastener members

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to improvements in methods and machines for assembling washer members with rotary fastener members. The machine embodiment of the invention disclosed herein includes means for cascading an indiscriminately arranged supply of washer members to a rotary disc for feeding properly oriented washer members along a circular path to an assembly station. Rotary fastener members such as screw blanks are directed from an indiscriminately arranged supply thereof along a different path to said assembly station. The fastener members and washer members are telescopically associated, and directed to means, such as thread rolling dies, for swaging the rotary fastener member to secure the telescopically associated fastener members and washer members against axial separation.

United States Patent 1 1 Pomernacki 1 Aug. 7, 1973 METHODS AND MACHINES FOR 3,456,424 7/1969 Thurston et ai. 53/154 ASSEMBLING WASHER MEMBERS WITH ROTARY FA STENER MEMBERS Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-E. M. Combs v [75] Inventor Henry pnmemacki Northbrrook' Attorney-Olson, Trexler, Wolters & Bushnell, Robert [73] Assignee: Illinois Tool Work, inc., Chicago, 111. W. Beart, Michael Kovac and Jack R. Halvorsen [22] Filed: Nov. 12, 1970 [21] A l N 88 942 [57] ABSTRACT 0.: pp The present invention relates generally to improvements in methods and machines for assembling washer [52] US. Cl 10/155 A members with rotary fastener members. The machine [51] Int. Cl 823p 19/08 embodiment of the invention disclosed herein includes [58] Field of Search 29/208, 211; means for cascading an indiscriminately arranged supply of washer members to a rotary disc for feeding properly oriented washer members along a circular path to an assembly station. Rotary fastener members such as screw blanks are directed from an indiscriminately arranged supply thereof along a different path to said assembly station. The fastener members and washer members are telescopically associated, and directed to means, such as thread rolling dies, for swaging the rotary fastener member to secure the telescopically associated fastener members and washer members against axial separation.

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sum 1115mm METHODS AND MACHINES FOR ASSEMBLING WASHER MEMBERS WITH ROTARY FASTENER MEMBERS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the problems incident to the use of machines and to the practice of methods of assembling rotary fastener members and washer members is that of providing an adequate rate of delivery of properly oriented washers to the station at which such washer members are to be telescopically associated with the shank of a rotary fastener member. It is possible to feed washerless screw blanks to a thread roller at relatively high speeds. However, it has not been possible heretofore, to maintain this relatively high speed of delivery to a thread roller of screw blanks having washer members telescopically associated therewith. This is due to a number of factors such as, for example, the. inadequate rate at which properly oriented washer members have been fed to the location at which each washer member telescopically receives a rotary fastener shank. Another factor is that the rate of telescopic assembly of the fastener members and washer members and subsequent rate of advancement, has heretofore been inadequate. Conventional reciprocable type thread roller dies are adapted to operate at the rate of at least 400 strokes per minute. Machines heretofore available for telescopically assembling rotary fastener members and washer members have not had the capacity to even approach such speeds of operation. It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide methods and machines whereby rotary fastener members and washer members may be telescopically preassembled and subsequently advanced at speeds commensurate with the speed of available reciprocable thread roller dies. The rotary threaded fastener members and washer members thus assembled are commonly referred to as fastener units. In fact, the present invention contemplates the production of fastener units at speeds well in excess of 400 per minute.

More specifically, the invention contemplates improved methods and machines whereby washer members may be cascaded onto a-washer feeding mechanism in such a manner as to materially increase the speed of 'producing fastener units.

A further object of the present invention is to provide highlyefficient methods and machines of the type set forth above, which will assure complete telescopicassociation of the rotary fastener members and washer members at a'relatively rapid rate as these parts are advanced toward the swaging or thread rolling station.

Another object of the present invention is to provide I unique methods and machines as set forth above, which may be employed to assemble rotary fastener members and washer members of varied sizes with a minimum degree of machine adjustment.

'. 'Ihe present invention also contemplates novel micrometer adjustment means to compensate for variation in operational and manufacturing tolerances.

, .To assure an adequate supply of washer members to be cascaded onto a rotary feeding means, the present invention contemplates a novel arrangement for receiving the excess of cascaded washer members and recirculating said excess members to the cascading station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view ofa machine for assembling rotary fastener members and washer members which is representative of one embodiment of the 0 present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a marginal portion of the washer conveying disc, disclosing one properly oriented washer member registered with a pocket and another improperly oriented washer member being ejected from a pocket;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3, disclosing the improperly oriented washer member being discharged from a pocket;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the washer feeding disc and the channel arrangement for receiving unaccommodated washer members from said disc and recirculating said washer members to the cascading location;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6, disclosing the manner in which a properly oriented washer member is accommodated by one of the disc pockets;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the washer feeding disc mechanism and associated structure as viewed along the line 8-8 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view disclosing the washer feeding disc and the two associated rotary feeding members for advancing telescopically associated fastener members and washer members;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the rotary feeding members of FIG. 9, said view being taken substantially along the line l0l0 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the rotary feeding member adapted to receive telescopically assembled fastener members and washer members from the washer feeding disc, said view being taken substantially along the line l1-ll of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a detailed sectional view of the rotary feeding mechanism shown in FIG. 11, said section being taken substantially along the line 12-12 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 9, and taken substantially along the line 13-13 of FIG. 10, more clearly to illustrate the structural features of the rotary feeding member which receives aligned fastener members and washer members from the rotary washer feeding disc;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the cam device for guiding the lower extremities of the screw members as shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a vertical, sectional view taken substantially along the line I5I5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. I6 is a detailed, sectional view taken substantially along the line 16-46 of FIG. 17;

FIG. I7 is a plan sectional view taken substantially along the line l7--I7 of FIG. 15, illustrating the gear train arrangement of the driving mechanism; 

1. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members including means for cascading a supply of indiscriminately oriented washer members, an inclined rotatable disc for receiving washer members from said cascading means, said rotatable disc including a plurality of uniformly spaced circumferentially disposed washer Advancing pocket means movable along a predetermined path for accommodating properly oriented cascaded washer members, means for feeding uniformly spaced rotary fastener members along another path successively into axial alignment with washer members advanced along the first path, means for completing telescopic assembly of said axially aligned fastener and washer members, driving means for synchronously moving said pocket means and fastener feeding means, fastener swaging means, means for directing telescopically associated fastener and washer members into association with said swaging means whereby to secure said members against separation and means for receiving washer members from the lower area of said inclined rotatable disc which are not accommodated by said pocket means and for automatically conveying such washer members along a predetermined path back to said washer cascading means for redelivery to said rotary disc.
 2. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for feeding fastener members comprises inclined rotary plate means having peripheral recesses for accommodating fastener members.
 3. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 1, including receptacle means for retaining a supply of washer members, means for delivering washer members from said receptacle means to the cascading means, and means for automatically controlling the period of delivery of washer members from said receptacle means.
 4. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for directing telescopically associated fastener and washer members includes inclined rotary means for peripherally accommodating telescopically associated rotary fastener members and washer members from said feeding means.
 5. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 4, including means located in the vicinity of the periphery of said inclined rotary fastener and washer directing means for diverting an improperly oriented fastener member to prevent said fastener member from being advanced toward the swaging means.
 6. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 4, including selecting means located in the vicinity of the periphery of said inclined rotary fastener and washer directing means for deflecting washerless fastener members from the normal path of advancement and thereby prevent said washerless fastener members from being delivered to the swaging means.
 7. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 6, wherein said selecting means includes gate means for diverting washerless fastener members from said third path to facilitate removal of washerless fastener members from said rotary means.
 8. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotary feeding means includes an inclined rotary drum having peripheral notches for accommodating and advancing the preassembled washer and fastener members.
 9. Apparatus for high speed assembly of rotary fastener members with washer members including an inclined rotary disc means having uniformly spaced peripheral pockets for accommodating and advancing washer members received thereby to an assembly station, means for cascading a supply of indiscriminately oriented washer members onto said disc means, means for receiving from the lower area of said rotary disc means washer members not accommodated by said pockets and for automatically conveying such washer members along a predetermined path back to said cascading means for redelivery to said rotary disc means, rotary means having uniformly spaced fastener accommodating pockets for advancing fastener members received thereby to said assembly station, the peripheries of said disc means and rotary means being disposed in substantially taNgential relation, an assembly station located in the vicinity of the area of substantial tangency of said disc means and fastener advancing rotary means for elevating and subsequently lowering advancing fastener members to effect partial telescopic association of aligned fastener and washer members in rapid succession, means for completing the telescopic association of said fasteners and mechanism for driving said disc means and fastener advancing means in synchronism, means for swaging fastener members having washers associated therewith to secure said members against separation, means for advancing telescopically assembled fastener and washer members from said fastener advancing means to said fastener swaging means, and means for relatively adjusting the circumferential relationship of the tangential area of said disc means and said fastener advancing rotary means.
 10. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 9, wherein said adjusting means includes means for laterally adjusting the axis of said rotary disc means.
 11. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 9, wherein said adjusting means includes means for rotatably adjusting the periphery of said disc means with respect to the periphery of said fastener advancing rotary means.
 12. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 9, including means for adjustably retarding the speed of movement of the perpheries of said washer and fastener advancing means as complementary pockets thereof approach positions of alignment.
 13. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 9, wherein said fastener advancing rotary means includes superimposed plate members having peripherally disposed fastener accommodating pockets.
 14. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 9, including means for delivering fastener members into the pockets of said fastener advancing rotary means, and means for ejecting from the periphery of said fastener advancing means, fastener members directed thereto which are not in registration with a complementary pocket thereof.
 15. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fastener ejecting means includes a spring biased finger device adapted to be engaged by a fastener member not in registration with a pocket of the fastener advancing means.
 16. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 9, having an overload clutch mechanism operable in response to overload conditions experienced by the driven parts of the apparatus, to render the driving mechanism functionally ineffective.
 17. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 9, including cam means in the vicinity of the tangential area of said washer and fastener advancing means for elevating successive fastener members as they approach a position of alignment with a complementary washer member therebeneath.
 18. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 17, including means for maintaining an advancing fastener member in partial telescopic association with a companion washer member upon movement away from said cam surface.
 19. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 17, including yieldable means for urging fastener members into complete telescopic association with companion washer members after said members have moved away from said cam surface.
 20. Apparatus for assembling rotary fastener members with washer members as set forth in claim 9, including resilient means for urging telescopically assembled fastener and washer members out of registration with complementary pockets of the fastener advancing rotary member.
 21. Apparatus for Assembling rotary fastener members in the form of screw blanks with washer members including a hopper for retaining a supply of washer members, first inclined rotary means in the form of a disc having uniformly spaced peripheral pockets for accommodating and advancing properly oriented washer members, means for cascading washer members onto said disc, upwardly inclined channel means for receiving at the lower extremity thereof washer members unaccommodated by the disc pockets and for recirculating said washer members to the cascading location, means for imparting vibration to said channel means to effect movement of the washer members therein upwardly along an inclined path defined by said channel means, second inclined rotary means having uniformly spaced peripheral pockets for accommodating the shanks of screw blanks, a hopper for screw blanks, means for directing screw blanks from said hopper into registration with the peripheral pockets of said second rotary means, means in the vicinity of the periphery of said second rotary means for ejecting screw blanks which are not in proper registration with the peripheral pockets thereof, said first rotary means and second rotary means defining tangent pitch circles, assembly means in the vicinity of the area of said tangency for elevating screw blanks as they successively approach the area of tangency in positions of alignment with respect to washer members positioned therebeneath, yieldable means for urging screw blanks into partial telescopic association with a companion washer member, means for temporarily maintaining axial separation of the head of the screw blanks and the washers telescopically associated therewith, means for thereafter urging said fastener and washer members into complete telescopic association, third inclined rotary means having peripheral pockets for receiving telescopically assembled washers and screw blanks from said second rotary means, abutment means adapted to be engaged by the head of an advancing improperly positioned screw blank, selecting means for receiving and directing properly assembled screw blanks and washers away from said third rotary means, gate means for guiding washerless screw blanks, shank swaging means, means for directing telescopically associated screw blanks and washer members from said selecting means to said shank swaging means, driving mechanism for rotating the aforesaid washer and screw blank advancing means in synchronism, and means for rendering said driving means functionally ineffective in response to overload conditions experienced by the driven elements of the apparatus.
 22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9, including means for rotatably adjusting said disc means, and means for laterally adjusting said disc means.
 23. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9, including means for retarding the speed of advancement of companion screw blanks and washer members as they approach positions of alignment with respect to each other. 